Three Mistakes by Ryan
by yoplait2000
Summary: If by some chance you still don't know what happened in Endgame and you want to keep it that way don't read.
1. Chapter 1

Wow my second story.  
Hope you like it.  
Spoilers: If by some chance you still don't know what  
happened in Endgame and you want to keep it that way  
don't read.  
This is chap. 1 of ?. Depends upon want you all think  
of it and whether or not I'm able to get any more free  
time this summer.  
Once again be kind to my mistakes especially spelling  
& grammar. This is a newfound hobby of mine.  
Thanks

Fri Jul 27, 2001 8:02 pm

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Title : Three Mistakes

Author: Ryan

Rating:PG

Disclaimer: This is Paramounts baby. Maybe they should be charged with abuse?

THREE MISTAKES

"Annika, you were looking for me?"

"Yes Commander, I have something I must tell you"

Chakotay looked at her seeing not the Annika Hansen he had been dating but 7 of 9. She was in full Borg mode again today. Calling him by his tittle, not his name. Standing ramrod straight and eyeing him with a cool indifference that dismissed the relationship they'd started to build. He knew what she had to tell him. He supposed he should try to change her mind, he silently told himself. Then unbidden came the thought, did he really want to?

"Commander" she said again in her emotionless borg tone. " I am sorry if this causes you any pain but I must end this relationship. I want you to know that I'll always treasure our time together. I hope we can still be friends"

And with those words Seven of Nine turned and walked out of the mess hall.

Chakotay sat stunned, not by her action, he'd been expecting it, but by her manner. He'd been dumped and dumped good. This wasn't the first time he'd been given the old heave ho, but it was probably the most emotionless ending of any relationship he'd been in. She'd shown no more emotion than a Vulcan would have, less in fact. He sat gazing out the residency windows seeing but yet not seeing Voyager as she lay resting on the Academy grounds. The same grounds, where almost two weeks ago, Tom had gently brought Voyager to her feather light landing. How do I feel?, he thought to himself, trying to sort out the jumble of emotions racing through his conscious.

Hurt? Not really.

Heartbroken? No.

Bruised ego? Yes. Because looking in her eyes as she so efficiently discarded him he realized, she really didn't care whether or not it caused him pain, she didn't treasure their time together, and she couldn't have cared less about continuing there friendship. In fact she'd looked at him as he imagined she would have a failed lab experiment. Nothing more than a waste of time. He admitted to himself that yes his pride was hurt, he wouldn't be human if it wasn't.

But the uppermost feeling in his mind was relief. He'd dodged a bullet. He still wasn't sure why they had started dating in the first place. Maybe it was because he was tired of being lonely, of yearning for something that seemed impossible back in the Delta Quadrant and because she was looking for someone to explore her humanity with.

Being home in the Alpha Quadrant changed all that. Suddenly there was no crew morale to think of, no more life and death decisions, and no Starfleet protocol. Everything and anything now seemed, oh so possible.

Funny he'd been so apprehensive about their homecoming. A bastardized ship consisting of Starfleet personal, traitorous Marquis, former borg drones, and a pain in the butt sentient hologram. And yet they'd all emerged as heroes. The marquis had been pardoned, and Seven and Ichabod were seen as survivors of horrors unimaginable(this attitude nourished by Capt. Picard who knew all to well what they had endured).

Admiral Paris had explained it this way, the Federation was still recovering from the very brutal and destructive Dominion war. A war whose ugly nature had caused some to question the ideals and existence of both the Federation and Starfleet. Starfleet needed heroes, heroes to remind everyone just what it and the Federation really stood for.

Janeway and her crew where made to order. Stranded 100 years from home they had banded together and done the impossible, returned in seven short years. And all the while following Starfleet protocols. Most of them anyway he thought to himself with a wry grin. So pardon's all around, feted all over town.

The crew had been housed here at one of the residencies at the Academy. Then as they'd been debriefed, crew members had drifted away to renew their old lives. Everything had been going better than he had imagined possible, until 3 days ago. With just the command crew left, the other shoe had dropped. The decision made regarding the Doctors sentience had been overturned upon appeal. They'd only learned of this when security had arrived to collect the Doctor and his mobile emitter. It had not been pretty. He'd been in his quarters reading when suddenly all hell broke lose.

He'd heard running in the corridors, B'elanna screaming Klingon curses like they were going out of style, and Seven saying in her patented menacing tone , all the more terrifying for it's very calmness, "to unhand the doctor or I will make you suffer in ways you couldn't begin to imagine."

He'd rushed down the corridor towards the lobby where the voices had gone. He entered the lobby to see Seven and B'elanna advancing towards four extremely nervous security personal holding the Doctor in front of them like some sort of holographic shield.

"Let the Doctor go" Seven repeated.

The guards obviously unnerved by the two hostile women warriors facing them, one a klingon in full blood lust and the other an unstoppable borg bent upon their destruction, gripped their phasers and aiming at the two women, made to fire.

"Stand down" Janeway shouted in her best Captains voice as she ran into the lobby.

"B'elanna took a deep shuddering breathe of air and halted her aggressive advance upon the guards.

The guards recognizing the voice of authority seemed to regain control of themselves.

Only Seven ignored Janeway and continued her advance upon the cornered guards. They in turn shifted both their focus and their phasers solely onto Seven.

"Seven" the Captain called more forcefully.

"Stop or we will fire" one of the guards, the squad leader Chakotay judged, warned.

Seven ignored him.

"Seven," cried the Doctor, "Stop, it's alright, I'm unharmed. Listen to the Captain. It'll be alright. I promise."

With that Seven stopped her relentless advance.

Chakotay knew then, that he and Seven or Annika (as he'd tried to get her to be) were never meant to be.

The Captain took charge in an effort to get to the bottom of this.

She first talked to the security officers who still maintained their grasp upon the Doctor. Than apparently not satisfied with their answers she used her communicator to talk to their superiors. Chakotay could tell by her mannerisms that the call was not going well. Finally she walked over to the talked to the Doctor and began a long conversation with him.

With a hug she left the Doctor and walked back to her crew. By now all of the remaining crew members had entered the lobby. They formed a semi-circle around the Doctor and his captors. They were awaiting their Captains orders.

As she walked back to them she knew if she gave the order they would attack the guards. Almost certainly the guards phasers were on stun. They could swarm the guards and free the Doctor but only temporally. She could tell her crew wanted to do it and damn the consequences but she knew that would gain them a hollow momentary victory at best.

Before she could even to begin to explain the situation to her crew, a squad of 12 more security personal in full battle gear arrived to surround the Doctor and his captors and proceeded to escort them out of the building.

In the background Chakotay could hear Harry whisper to Tom " Now that's overkill don't you think"

Tom replied, "Ah but you forget Harry, we're Janeway's Voyagers. I think they need another dozen. At least"

"We have to let them take him, for now," Janeway stated.

Seven started forward.

Janeway grabbed her. "Seven I'll get him back. I promise you."

"Captain," Tuvok questioned, "exactly what is the nature of the problem"

"The Admiralties ruling granting the Doctor sentient status has been appealed and overturned. Therefore Starfleet Security has quote "classified the EMH as part of Voyager's original equipment and confiscated the holographic program for further study and experimentation" unquote. His portable emitter being of 29Th century is also being confiscated pending further review."

"You are letting them get away with this" Seven raged.

Chakotay glanced at Seven. He'd seen her eyes the dispassionate ice blue of a borg, he'd seen the twinkle of hidden laughter in them as she'd teased her crew mates and he'd seen the stirring of passion in them as she'd started to explore her sensual side with him but he'd never seen her eyes full of such rage and fury. B'elanna at her worst could not come close .

"I have no choice Seven, but I'll promise you as I did the Doctor, I'll get him back," Janeway responded. "He's a part of our family, I'll get him back Seven"

"Three days Captain, I'll give you three days, then I take matters into my own hands."

With that pronouncement she turned and stalked back to her quarters.

He'd tried to call her later to check on her but she wouldn't answer his hails.

The next day he went with Janeway as she made her rounds of the Admirals trying to gain support for the Doctor's cause.

Tuvok ,spending most of his days undergoing treatment, had promised to see if he could learn anything from his old security buddies.

Tom had called his father the first night only to find out he'd been left out of the loop. Admiral Paris had a "conflict of interest".

They did have some good news the first day. They were allowed to visit the Doctor. When he'd commed to tell her the news Seven had raced out of the room before he could even finish his sentence.

Chakotay was sitting outside their residence with Kathryn, when Seven, Harry, Tom and B'elanna, carrying little Miral , came walking across the parade grounds from the nearby security centre where the Doctor was being held for study. Seven looked calmer today, he noted. Talking to the Doctor had obviously helped.

They came over and both groups exchanged information on what they'd learned. All talked except Seven who seemed to have slipped back into her borg queen persona. She just sat back and listened. She only spoke once. "Two days"She then left for her quarters.

B'elanna, Tom and Harry, soon followed.

"They're planning something," Kathryn stated as she drank her coffee.

"I wouldn't be surprised" Chakotay replied. "Do you want me to find out what?"

"No better we don't know. They'll keep an eye on her. They won't let her go to far"

Janeway paused, looked at Chakotay, started to say something else than stopped.

The second day was just as useless as the first. Everyone they talked to seemed just as surprised by the turn of events as Voyagers crew. They didn't know why the original decision had been overturned. No one they talked to could even explain what interest security could have in a medical hologram. It seemed most people they talked to wanted to help but that they couldn't overrule Starfleet Security, only the Federation Council could do that and they weren't scheduled to meet for another month.

When Chakotay and Janeway returned. They were met by a Seven wound up tighter then she'd ever been. Tom, B'elanna and Harry were also upset about something. Something they were keeping to themselves.

The third and final day of Seven's deadline was here and gone. No one could help. No one wanted to take on Starfleet Security.

Dreading what awaited them. Chakotay and Janeway returned back to their residency and to their separate quarters.

Chakotay to find a message informing him that Seven required his presence in the mess hall immediately upon his return.

Janeway to wait anxiously for what she did not know. She only knew that Seven did not bluff.

Suddenly "Chakotay to Janeway" came over her com.

"Captain, I've got a message from Seven to meet her in the mess hall. If she tells me of her plan what do you want me to do. "

"I don't know Chakotay" she said tiredly. "I just can't seem to get a handle on this situation. I've got this gut feeling that there's more going on here than anyone is willing to tell us. What it is I couldn't tell you. I'm tempted to let Seven carry out her plan whatever it is. At the very least it'll shake things up and may give us someone to aim at."

They then spent the next 15 minutes discussing possible scenarios and responses.

Chakotay then left for his meeting.

Sitting in her room, Janeway knew she had to trust her crew. Had to trust in Tom, B'elanna, and Harry to stop Seven from doing anything stupid.

She also spared a few thoughts for Chakotay. How was he taking all this. Was he hurt by Sevens sudden indifference to him. If he was he didn't show. "Ah" Chakotay she thought "what happened to us?"

Chakotay sat in the mess hall smiling as all that had happened in the last three days played through his mind. Yes for a man who has just been dumped, by the supposed love of his life, he felt very happy. The Admiral had changed the future in more ways than she thought.

Now the question was what was he going to do with this new future that now opened up before him and would a certain Captain be interested in sharing this future with him.

As for Seven's plan he still didn't know what it was, but he wasn't worrying about it about it anymore. Failure wasn't an option for her.

He realized now that he had never really knew her. He'd wanted her to be Annika Hansen, a normal human woman. Seven could never be just human. She was part borg in more ways than just implants. She'd spent most of her life as borg. Trying to deny that was like, B'elanna trying to deny her Klingon heritage. Like B'elanna, Seven to grow as an individual, had to fuse both aspects of herself into one person. Neither borg nor human but the best of both. He like the Captain had never seen that. Their goal had been to turn Seven into the woman she would have been without the borg. Only the Doctor, he thought, had seen that she could be so much more. Maybe that was why she loved him.

He spared a thought for the Doctor. "Oh my friend you have no idea what you're in for. You better hang on tight because they'll be no stopping her. But at least you'll know you have lived"

Starfleet Security was in for a nasty surprise. The shit was about to hit the fan now.

They'd pissed off the Captain. That was a mistake number one. You never pissed off a red-head. Starfleet had never seen the Delta Janeway in action, they had no idea what she could or would do to protect her crew.

They'd pissed off Voyagers crew. That was mistake number two. Seven years of isolation, of being surrounded by mostly hostile life forms of having only themselves to depend upon had brought Voyagers crew together closer than any other crew had ever been. Thus when word of the Doctors incarceration had spread. Former crew members had started calling in offering their services in what ever manner the Captain deemed best. As Chell had so succinctly put it "Starfleet can go kiss my big blue Bolian butt if they think they can treat one of our crew this way."

They'd pissed off Seven. That was mistake number three. She scared him, he admitted to himself. The anger and fear(for the Doctor) that he'd seen in her eyes, combined with the utter ruthless determination of her borg self made for a dangerous combination. In spit of that he believed that she was human and moral enough not to do anything she or they would regret. He prayed that no one at Starfleet Security had caused any harm to the Doctor, if they had, the only thing that could save them was Seven's Doctor inspired morality. Ironic as Tuvok would say.

He wished Seven good luck on her mission.

He almost felt sorry for Starfleet. They were about to learn that when it came to Voyager and her crew "resistence is futile".


	2. Chapter 2

Title : Three Mistakes part 2 "Day Three"

Author: Ryan

Rating: G

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all rights to Star Trek Voyager& her crew.

DAY THREE

"Commander" she said again in her emotionless borg tone. " I am sorry if this causes you any pain but I must end this relationship. I want you to know that I'll always treasure our time together. I hope we can still be friends"

And with those words Seven turned and walked out of the mess hall.

She was annoyed. Chakotay's tardiness in meeting her, had throw her almost ten minutes behind schedule. She still had to meet with Belanna, Tom and Harry to iron out the details of their rescue plan.

Arriving at the Paris's door, she announced her name and was immediately admitted.

"You're late" Kim declared as she entered.

"I'm aware of that ensi...Lieut." she replied (Seven almost smiled as she recalled standing on the bridge as Janeway had presented a surprised and grateful Harry with his pips "You didn't think I was going to let you return home an ensign, did you Harry" the Captain had teased ). She almost smiled at the memory, but she didn't, she couldn't afford to.

Too much depended upon her, she had to be borg now. Show no emotion. Feel no emotion. Concentrate on the objective. That was the only thing that mattered. The objective. The doctor. Once she had rescued him then this unbearable pain would go away and then she could smile again, then she'd want to smile again.

She remembered standing in shock in the hallway as four security officers dragged the protesting doctor away. She remembered thinking, "B'elanna shouldn't be screaming like that she'll traumatize Miral." She remembered seeing Tom gently placing Miral in her bassinet then grabbing the baby's monitor as he started to run after his enraged wife. She remembered how time had seemed to freeze as the realization finally sunk in that they were taking the Doctor , "her Doctor" away.

Everything after that was a blur of fragmented images and sounds. Of running down hallways, of screaming , of a bloodlust deeper than any Klingons So deep in fact that when the Captain ordered her to halt she had ignored her.

Than the Doctor in that voice, that voice that was for her alone, had pleaded with her,

"Seven." "Stop, it's alright, I'm unharmed. Listen to the Captain. It'll be alright. I promise."

She stopped. He'd asked her to. She looked into his eyes. Those gentle brown eyes that revealed so much about the man. She could see the fear and love in his eyes. The fear not for himself but for her. The love for her that had always been there. The love that she had spurned because it had embarrassed her, it was inconvenient and did not fit in with the plans she made for her "perfect" future. She had hurt him, she knew that. She wanted to fall down on her knees and beg his forgiveness , she wanted to tell him that she loved him had always loved him but that she'd been too proud, too stubborn to admit it. She wanted another chance. She wanted to tell him that and so much more but she couldn't. All she could do was stare at him and hope her eyes would tell him what she couldn't.

She watched as Starfleet Security escorted the Doctor from her view.

Three days she had told the Captain.

Today was the third day. Time to take back what was hers.

"Seven."

"Earth to Seven."

"Yo, Seven are you okay" a worried Tom asked?

Snapping back to the reality she replied, "I apologize Lieut.. A momentary distraction. It will not happen again."

"It better not" B'elanna stated as she walked into the living room from the adjacent bedroom. "You can't afford to be distracted tonight Seven. It all depends on you, if you're not ready, say the word and we'll scrub the mission. We can always go tomorrow."

"No," Seven replied forcefully,"It has to be tonight."

"I can't take another day of this" she added to herself in a whisper.

B'elanna gazed at Seven in mute sympathy. Seven was hurting. You could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice. "It must be the mother in me" she thought in surprise because I have this strange desire to hug her and tell her it's that it's all going to be alright." Me, B'elanna Torres-Paris, who not to long ago, would have gladly shoved this same woman out the nearest airlock.

Trying to lighten the mood B'elanna said with a grin _-Computer activate Miral baby monitors-_

_-Monitors on-_ replied the computer.

Instantly the blank wall behind them was filled with six live holo images. One showed the sleeping Miral, the rest provided spectacular live images of the outside of the security complex, which housed the Doctor, and the surrounding Academy grounds.

"With these carefully placed baby monitors," an obviously very pleased with himself Tom grinned, "we can follow your every movement outside. Of course we haven't been able to place any in the security building itself, but we do have the academy grounds well covered. Best of all my genius wife has modified the audio to broadcast on your borg transceiver frequency. Once you and the Doc. leave the security building we'll be able to warn you of changes in the guards routines. "

"Ah Starfleet, so obsessed with high tech, they ignore the simple and obvious." B'elanna said with a smirk. "I can't tell you how often the Maquis used that blindness against them."

"Also Seven," Harry added, "Tom and I took a midnight stroll to check the access codes. They still work, we got in no problems and no alarms. So they should work for you and the Doc."

"It's all up to you now Seven," Tom stated. "Are you ready?"

"I am ready Mr. Paris. I will succeed. As I've said before failure is not an option." With that she turned to leave.

At the door the she paused and turned. In a small voice she addressed her friends, "I'd like to thank you for your help. I know the risks you are taking with your future careers."

"Seven " Tom replied for them all, "We love him too."

She stared at them. "Thank you" she whispered and left.

Shaking his head in amazement, Tom uttered to his companions , "You know, I always knew the Doctor was in love with her but I never realized she felt that way about him."

"Yeah it's thrown me for a loop too," Harry agreed. Then" So could someone please explain this whole Chakotay thing to me."

Captain Janeway sat at her desk, a fresh cup of coffee cradled in her hands. She was waiting for Seven. Her three day were up. Janeway understood Seven and her senior staff well enough to know that they would have daring plan to rescue the Doctor. It's what they did. The Voyager crew looked after their own. They'd done so for their seven long years of isolation in the delta quadrant and they'd do so on Earth if they had to. They'd deliberately kept her out of the loop and she'd let them. She knew why, she was they're fallback plan. If something went wrong, she was supposed to pull some Janeway miracle out of her hat to save the day. She hoped she could, though at the moment the only thing she could think of was a full frontal armored assault on Starfleet Security with Voyagers shuttles. While it might be fun she didn't think it would be practical. Suddenly her door chimed rousing her from her thoughts. Seventy-two hours and ten minutes exactly since Seven's "three days".

"Enter Seven"Janeway called, glancing up and watched as Seven marched into her office and stood at attention in front of her desk. Those who didn't know Seven would have thought her calm, collected and dispassionate, a perfect ice queen. But Janeway could see the fire raging behind those ice blue eyes.

"You're back in your unitard," Janeway observed calmly, noting that Seven had discarded the casual attire, worn since her arrival on Earth, in favour of her familiar plum coloured Voyager unitard.

"Lesson Eight! _Dress for Success_!"Seven replied cryptically.

"Speaking of success, what are your odds," Janeway asked not fully grasping Sevens puzzling reply.

"63.42%"was the emotionless reply.

Janeway winced , not good odds.

Seven, noting her Captains reaction explained, "there are too many variables, too many unknowns."

Janeway just nodded and said "I see. I'm not going to try to talk you out of this, I know it wouldn't do any good. But Seven don't let your emotions run away with you. Don't do anything that you or the Doctor will regret later."

"It is not my intention to cause irreparable harm to anyone. I merely intend to rescue the Doctor and remove him to a place of safety."

"How safe is this place Seven?"

"The safest place I know of Captain."

"Good. Don't tell me where. It's better that I not know" Janeway paused looked down at her coffee then back up at Seven. "I need time Seven," she said, "and I need you to buy me that time. The Federation Council meets in a little over twenty-eight days from now. Tuvok has contacted some of the Vulcan Councilors. They have promised to present the Doctor's request for sentient being status to the council. Starfleet Security wants to stop that from happening. Why I don't know. That's what I need to find out. I've been trying to push for an investigation. But I can't push to hard Seven, not while they have the Doctor's program. Holographic programs are deleted every day Seven and to security that's all the Doctor is, just another hologram. Get him out Seven and get me my time."

Seven nodded "I understand Captain."

"Good luck Seven, and be careful."Janeway said.

"Thank you, ..... Kathryn," Janeway smiled at Seven's hesitant use of her first name.

"I do have one thing I wish to report before I leave," she stated in a deliberately deadpan manner. Taking a deep breathe she continued, "I regret to inform you that I had to terminate my relationship with Commander Chakotay. _(Considering you're behaviour over the last few days that's hardly a surprise Janeway thought)_ I did not think it proper to continue in that relationship when my feelings are engaged elsewhere."

"I see" Janeway uttered in a equally neutral tone.

"While he didn't seem distressed at my decision," Seven continued, "I'm sure he could use a friend to talk to."

The two woman exchanged glances. They both knew what was really being said. Seven raised her ocular implant and stared at the Captain until Janeway nodded acknowledgment of Seven's statement.

Her message delivered, Seven turned and left the Captain's cabin. Trivial matters attended to,she proceeded towards Starfleet Security headquarters, and the Doctor.

Janeway raised her cup to her lips. All thoughts of Seven and the Doctor momentarily erased from her mind by Seven's closing comment. Should she go to Chakotay?, she asked herself.

Her older self had given another chance.

Dare she take it?

Dare she not?

Decision made.

-Computer locate Commander Chakotay-

-Commander Chakotay is presently in the mess hall-


	3. Chapter 3

Title : Three Mistakes part 3 "The Rescue"

Author: Ryan

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all rights to Star Trek Voyager& her crew.

THE RESCUE

The Doctor sat and absently examined his prison walls. It was a nice prison when compared to some he'd had the dubious pleasure of being confined in over his life. But the holo-emitters hid the truth. No matter how pleasant the appearance a prison is still a prison, and a condemned man is still a condemned man his inner self mocked him.

His program was going to be deleted tomorrow. The engineers studying his program hadn't even bothered to hide their orders from him. After all without his portable emitter, which they had whisked away as soon as they had downloaded his program , he was helpless.

The thought of death didn't frighten him so much as the manner of his death. He hoped they would do it while he was deactivated. He didn't want to be active when they started to decompile his program. To be conscious and aware as all he had become over these past seven years, was stripped away from him would be unbearable. To be aware as his mind kept getting smaller and smaller, as his knowledge of his accomplishments on Voyager, of his friends, of his goddaughter and of Seven, especially Seven, was ripped from him. That would be torture. Better by far just to be deactivated to never wake up again.

"Funny how things change," he thought, "A week ago I wouldn't have cared. Hell I would have pushed the delete button myself."

Looking back he realized that he'd given up hope.

He'd always been an optimist. A good doctor had to be. He could name at least 12 crew members who wouldn't be alive today if he hadn't kept on fighting for their life's long after all reasonable hope had been exhausted. But his personal hope had died when Admiral Janeway had told him of Seven's life and death in the old time line.

The Doctor realized then that his dreams were nothing more than that dreams. He'd always believed that he and Seven belonged together. That somehow they were meant to be. They were good friends, they could tell each other things they'd never dare mention to anyone else, they were both outsiders, human but yet not, and they were both better people together than apart.

He'd believed that and used it to smother the pain as he'd watched her dating Chakotay. It's alright he told himself, it's just a passing phase. Someday she'll realize that the only person who can give her the love she wants and needs is me, and I'll be here waiting.

He'd hung on to that belief even as he'd removed her implant. It had hurt seeing them together but he'd told himself this was nothing more than a schoolgirl crush, she'll grow out of it in a couple of months.

Then the admiral had arrived and destroyed his fantasy. Seven and Chakotay had been together for three years and they'd married.

That knowledge had killed all hope and with it his desire to live.

Oh, he'd tried to act happy when they reached Earth, but it was only an act. Every time she smiled at Chakotay, every time the two of them had touched he felt as if his matrix was being torn in two.

Oddly enough it had been Tom and B'elanna who'd given him his dream back..

Four days ago he'd been in their quarters checking on his goddaughter and her mother. As he'd handed Miral back to B'elanna, Tom had come up behind him and kicked him. It wasn't the kick so much that had shocked him as the terminal location of the kick.

Outraged he'd turned demanding an explanation.

"Doctor, that's from B'elanna and myself. If anyone deserves a swift kick in the ass it's you" Tom had answered forcefully. "B'elanna and I are tired of you moping around here feeling sorry for yourself. I know, we all know how you feel about Seven. You say you love her, you've loved her for years. Prove it. Fight for her love. I've seen you fight for so many different causes and so many different people but I've never seen you fight for Seven's love. Instead you've always stood back and suffered, in a not so noble silence. Fight for her love, Doc, it worked for me. It wasn't easy. There were some tough times but I made it and look at me now. I have now a beautiful wife and daughter."

The Doctor stared at Tom, then turned his gaze towards B'elanna she nodded her agreement with her husbands words. His eyes seemed to lose focus as he meditated on Tom's words.

"It's too late." he sighed.

"They're not married yet Doc." Tom replied.

"But what do I do?"

"Just be there Doctor," B'elanna counseled. "Spend time with her. Look, she already enjoys's your company and you both enjoy music, so invite her to an opera or to a musical. Do something. Show her that Chakotay is not the only option out there. You can't win her love if you're sulking in your lab."

The next day he'd spent sitting in his quarters thinking about what they had said . They were right, he'd expected Seven to hand her love to him, he'd never tried to earn it. Whenever things had gone wrong he'd hidden. No more, he was going to fight for her love, he may not win but at least he'd have tried.

Feeling better than he'd had for weeks, he'd left his quarters. First to thank Tom & B'elanna for their help and from their he intended to go see Seven. That had been his plan but his plans always seemed to go awry and no sooner had he arrived in the Torres-Paris rooms than Starfleet Security had appeared to drag him away.

Even that had not been enough to kill his newfound determination, in fact in one sense it had nourished his dream. For Seven's reaction as he'd been hauled away had both scared and amazed him. Her eyes had never left his that night. Those eyes, those beautiful blue eyes that were the mirror to her soul, told him so much and promised so much more.

Since then she'd visited him every day, but never alone. She was always accompanied by Harry, B'elanna Tom and Miral, his goddaughter. They would sit and they would talk of Janeway's attempts to get him freed. About which Admiral, the Captain was seeing today, and what yesterday's Admiral had said. They'd hinted at other less legal plans but fearing eavesdropping had said nothing. (He knew that every moment of his program's activation was constantly monitored from some booth hidden behind these holographic walls.)

Then they'd fill him in on the progress of Tuvok's treatment and as a special treat he would be allowed to hold his god-daughter. One time as he'd rocked little Miral, who seemed much too good natured a baby to be 1/4 Klingon, he'd glanced up to catch Seven watching them and smiling a soft gentle , wistful smile that had melted his heart.

He'd been given a second chance, and if by some miracle he got out of here he wasn't going to waste it. This time he wouldn't let his fears stop him. He'd tell her how he felt, he'd give her all those poems he'd composed, he'd deliver those flowers he'd never had the courage to send. He'd fight for her love and he would win it.

His silent reverie was broken by one of his nameless captors disembodied voice (they'd never bothered to introduce themselves to a holoram),"Doctor you have a visitor."

"Friend or foe?", he asked.

"Definitely a friend. I think you'll be pleased to see her."

The Doctor smiled as Seven walked into his cell.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise" he stated as he rose to greet her. " You're looking lovely tonight, though I am surprised that you're back in your unitard."he added with an appreciative grin.

"It serves it's purpose" she answered with her customary dryness.

"Ah, still the same old Seven, that I love," he quipped. Only to pause in horror as he realized exactly what he had said.

"Oh God," he thought "I've done it again. Note to self engage self censoring sub-routines before verbal processor."

Seven just smiled.

Trying to remove his foot from his mouth, a situation he was all too familiar with, the Doctor asked,"To what do I owe this honor?"

"I wondered if you'd like to dance?"

He stared at her in amazement. She returned his gaze calmly, only the ironic lift of her eyebrow betrayed the strangeness of her request. If she wanted to dance, he'd dance. There were worse ways to spend your last night on Earth, than dancing with the woman you love.

"Of course Seven, any particular choice of music?"

_-Computer play "Someone to Watch Over Me" vocal by Ella Fitzgerald-_

"You remembered," the Doctor whispered.

"Did you think I'd forget? It was the first song we danced to."

_-Computer change setting to Empress Ballroom circa 1930's-_ he commanded.

Silently she slipped into his arms.

It was both heaven and hell for the Doctor. Heaven in that she was in his arms, hell in that she was in his arms, He could feel her body as she pressed against him. He could feel the warmth emanating from her body. Her hair worn loosely tonight brushed against his face each feather light touch sending ripples of electricity throughout his program. God he wanted her, seldom used sub-routines threatened to overpower him as long suppressed desires raged throughout his program.

"Doctor" she whispered into his ear, every breathe a caress. "Do you still love me?"

"With all my being." There was no point in hiding the truth anymore.

A small shudder went through her and her body, already impossibly close, seemed to melt even further into his arms.

"I was afraid. So afraid I'd driven you away. Whatever happens Doctor. Know that I love you."

Than before he could begin to react to her declaration, she continued, " We'll talk later, right now I need you to keep dancing. Our song is almost over."

He was in shock. He was a doctor he recognized the symptoms. He didn't know what to say or do so he just followed her instructions. He wanted to tell her he didn't have a tomorrow but something in her stopped him. To the casual observer she might look the same as she had seconds ago but he could feel her tense up. She was preparing for something. He knew not what.

Their song neared it's end, as it reached as it reached it's final notes, she whispered her instructions into his ear. Immediately the Doctor obeyed and turning flung Seven towards the concealed control booth.

The Doctor was a man not of flesh and blood but of light and force fields. Force field's so sensitive that his touch could be hundreds of times lighter than a feather or force fields so strong they could propel a woman through the air with enough force enough to break through a wall.

A normal woman being thrown with such force would be seriously injured but Seven wasn't normal. Her bones were reinforced by borg technology and her reflexes controlled by her implants were faster than any humans. Thus she was able to fold herself into a ball and let her reinforced bones and her unitard(made of a much stronger material than starfleet issued apparel) bear the burnt of the impact. The viewscreen wall through which she'd burst had not been designed to take this abuse. After all why reinforce the wall the holograms hid it from normal view, but not from borg ocular implants. Seven was about to show Starfleet exactly what a borg/human hybrid was capable of if pushed.

The two technicians in the room never had a chance. The technician manning the console never even knew what hit him as as she straightened and with a Vulcan nerve pinch rendered him unconscious. The second tech made to use her communicator but before she could make contact Seven incapacitated her with another nerve pinch. The borg had assimilated many Vulcans, from their memories she had knowledge of the technique, with Tuvok's training and Harry to practice on(Tom had volunteered him) she had soon mastered the procedure.

"Seven are you alright" the Doctor cried.

"I am unharmed. Listen carefully, time is of the essence. I'm going to deactivate your program then download it into my implant. Once that happens you will be in control of my body. We are on the fifth floor, proceed to the end of the hallway and take the lift to the main lobby. The exit is straight ahead walk out the main doors and then..." The doctor's eye's widened in admiration as she outlined the rest of her plan.

"Doctor" she added with a hint of laughter in her voice,"remember no cheesecake."

"I love you" were the last words he heard as his program was deactivated.

Seven felt the Doctor take control of her body. She was once more a passenger in her own body but there was a reward. She could feel/sense the Doctors every thought. She felt his love for her, it was raging fire that warmed her soul, she felt his enjoyment as he once again experienced human senses and she felt his determination to fight for them as he proceeded to walk her body out of the security building towards safety.

It was going so smoothly, they had just exited the security centre when the Doctor stopped. Her hearing, much more sensitive than a normal humans had heard the whispered comments of the two guards. She could feel his anger at their lewd comments, comments she'd become immune to over the years. "No keep going we're almost there," her mind screamed. But of course he could not hear her. "Doctor please we must continue, they're not worth it please." Finally as if in response to her pleas he continued towards their goal.

Now that the fear was gone she could she could once again enjoy sharing the Doctors', her Doctors', thoughts. He wasn't happy about walking away from those guards that much was clear.

He really wanted to go back and teach them some respect. He should know better than anyone that she could take care of herself. Still somehow it touched her that he felt this primitive urge to protect her. It was so like him.

She felt a strong urge to laugh as the Doctor's thoughts turned from outrage at the guards suggestion to a silent musing on the possibility of engaging in those activities with her.

"Soon my love' she thought. "Soon."

Finally she could see their goal ahead. Voyager.

It was a strange feeling being a passenger in your own body. The Doctor was being much more cautious than she would be. She'd told him there would be no guards in this area. There were only a half dozen guards and most were stationed around Voyagers outer perimeter. After all why guard the starship when all the hatches had been sealed and locked. All the hatches that they knew about. Seven had been startled when B'elanna had told about the secret entrance/exit. Apparently the ex-maquis engineer had built and hidden this hatch during her first year on Voyager, thinking that it might come in handy for the maquis crewmembers to have a secret entrance and exit. B'elanna had never told anyone about it till now.

"Yes ," she thought, "that's the right hull section. Now say the activation code, the sensors will hear you. Good." She knew he couldn't hear her thoughts but she felt better running through it with him, pretending that he could hear her thoughts.

She watched as a small section of the hull slid aside and a ladder descended.

"Quick Doctor up the ladder, Open the outer airlock door. Through the hatch. Retract the ladder. Close, seal and lock the hull back into place. Open the inner airlock door. Pull yourself(me) up into the ship. Close and lock the airlock doors. Now run to the turbolift. Deck five and sickbay. Run. Approach the terminal, extend my tubules now, download your program. I'll see you shortly my love.

Once again alone in her body Seven wasted no time in activating the Doctors program.

-Computer activate Emergency Command Hologram-

The Doctor firmed into existence. His normal medical uniform replaced by his command colours.

Immediately upon activation of his program he issued a string of orders to the computer.

-Transfer all command codes to me, activate all emergency generators, power up all shields, keep weapons off-line, and route all communication attempts to ECH-

-Activate "Gibralter" protocols- he ordered.

At Seven's puzzled look he explained that Gibralter protocols instructed the computer to consider Voyager a fortress under siege.

Satisfied that they were now secure, the Doctor stepped forward to grasp the smiling Seven in his arms.

"We're home" he said as his lips meet hers.


End file.
